


To Help #4

by Chibi_Seren



Series: To Help [4]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Almost Unrequited Love, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cheating, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 12:37:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10465194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibi_Seren/pseuds/Chibi_Seren
Summary: How would the RFA + Co, help out MC who was cheated on by another one of the RFA + Co members? Especially if the former person was in love with MC themselves?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just transferring the completed work from my tumblr on to here :)

Blinking rapidly to wake up his drowsy eyes, Jumin tried his best to refocus on the stack of papers in front of him. He’d been coming in early and going home late every day for the last week and the toll was starting to show. It didn’t help that he was purposely missing the group chats in the messenger app, which provided him possibly the only downtime he got throughout the day. She’d been so excited- literally counting down the days he would come back. She would practically _squeal_ it, if one could squeal, in the chat room whenever he would log on. It was understandable that she would assume he would be happy he was coming home- and in truth a part of his was happy; though another part of him grew ever more anxious and depressed. 

V was coming home. V was coming  _home to MC_.

There was a time when V was engaged to Rika that Jumin was scared that his best friend would be taken away from him. Now he thought there was nothing he could wish for more than for his friend to just stay far away. 

He loved V, loved him dearly as a brother- but goodness did he love MC more. From the instant they began chatting, texting and calling- he couldn’t get her out of his mind. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t a clue what she looked like, she showed him the truth of her heart in the gentle kindness she provided everyone. When he had that dream about her before they had actually met, the reason he knew it was her was not due to how she looked- it was how she made him feel in the dream. Wanted, understood and loved. 

Jumin dropped the paper on his desk indiscriminately and scrubbed at his face with his hands to try to wake himself up from 1) drowsiness and 2) thoughts about MC. No matter what he did she refused to stay out of his mind for long. He didn’t want to think of her, he didn’t want to have feelings for her and most of all he didn’t want his friendship with V to become affected by the first two things. It was already under enough strain as it was… 

 

* * *

_He could do this. He had taken down countless of intimidating businessmen and women, drawn up billion dollar contracts, spoken in front of hundreds of people and was the face of his father’s company. He could talk to his best friend. He could. He just needed another glass of wine. Throwing back the remnants of his glass and wiping off any drops that clung to the side of his mouth, Jumin unbuttoned his jacket to help him cool off._

_Shutting his eyes as he inhaled and exhaled, inhaled… exhaled._

_He was ready._

_He was going to do this.  
_

_He was going to ask if V truly felt anything for her… and if he didn’t… could he take a step back and let him love MC._

_A soft knock sounded on the front door of his house and he had a mild panic attack, quickly searching around for somewhere to position himself, he quickly sat down on the leather chaise lounge and tried to look as casual as possible. He wasn’t succeeding. After what seemed like an eternity he watched as the door slowly opened and a familiar teal head entered his vision._

_V strolled in with the casual use of his walking stick, making the action look almost sophisticated. Knowing the layout of his house like his own, he moved confidently throughout the space without having to limit the use of his full gait. Within moments he had made it to the lounge where Jumin was sitting and sat down across from him in a fluid motion._

_Clearing his throat to try to still his nerves, he forced himself to sit up to his full height and try to look as composed as possible. Crossing and uncrossing his legs, fiddling with his sleeves and pressing down the front of his suit- V had to clear his throat in turn to stop the corporate heir’s nervous fidgeting._

_A soft smile gracing his face he leant forward, “Jumin,” he began, “what has gotten you so flustered?” Taking his well-meaning question as a personal attack Jumin abruptly stood up and began to pace the room, just a blurry Jumin shaped blob to V as he followed his obviously distraught friend up and down the room._

_“You,” Jumin spat over his shoulder, shocking his best friend to his core. V stood up and slowly made his way to Jumin who automatically stopped to allow his friend to get near to him without too much trouble. “You are making me flustered and nervous!”_

_V took of his sunglasses to really focus on his friend’s face, trying to see if he was pulling a prank on him. It sounded as if Jumin… if Jumin was in love with him? That couldn’t be right._

_“Uh- Jumin. Are you sure you mean me?” he asked carefully enunciating every syllable._

_Jumin aggressively spun around on his friend and walked right up to his face making V flinch back reflexively._

_“Yes I’m sure I mean you!” he groused while running an agitated hand through his hair. “You and your intentions towards MC- what are they?” he finally managed to grind out._

_“Excuse me?”_

_“Your intentions man,” he grumbled spinning his hands in a circular motion to prompt his friend to continue with his answer, “do you intend to make whatever it is with MC official or is it all just a misunderstanding?”_

_V stepped back shell shocked at what his friend was asking, granted he was relieved to confirm that Jumin wasn’t secretly in love with him- however he was concerned that Jumin had somehow convinced himself that he was infatuated with yet another one of his girlfriends. Whether it was a pattern or a coincidence V didn’t know, but he had to nip this in the bud before it got away from the both of them._

_V sat back down on the couch and waited until Jumin joined him until he began to talk again._

_“Jumin. We want to share a life together and I will work as hard as I can to ensure that she will never want for anything, that she will be happy with me” he spoke as he placed his right hand over his chest, where his heart would lie. Jumin took in an unstable breath through his mouth and his eyes to the side of V’s leg, not quite ready to look into his dull cerulean eyes._

_“So… you love her”_

_“Of course I do,” V breathed a laugh from his nose almost insulted at the statement._

_“Then say it,” Jumin demanded looking into V’s eyes. “Then say the words V.”_

_V’s smile faltered slightly under the intense gaze of Jumin’s determined ashen gaze. Why did he have to justify himself to this man? He knew how he felt for MC and if MC accepted it then why should he-_

_“Please V. I- I need to hear it. I need to hear that you love her. That you’ll… you’ll love her more than I could.” V peered back into his friend’s eyes, the first signs of real tangible emotion shining from behind them. Licking his lips and slowing his breath to maintain his calm, he nodded his head once._

_“I love her Jumin. I will love her more than you can.”_

_Hearing the words he dreaded, Jumin shot back up and walked past V to the front door of his house, unlocking it and holding it open. V began to stand when Jumin’s voice halted his movements, “Then- then of course I will step aside and watch on as you both… I’ll just step aside,” he said before dashing out of his own house leaving V alone in the empty room._

_Walking past his guards, past his drivers and out of his property grounds, Jumin kept walking until he reached a familiar house down the street. Looking up into what he knew was the master bedroom he stayed in place until a flash of movement from the window could be seen. In V’s bedroom, their bedroom now he supposed, was MC just laying out her clothes on the bed. Taking in every curve of her face, the way loose wet tendrils of hair would stick to the back of her neck- her delicate hands and the care they took in whatever it was she did… he breathed it all in._

_Then in one fell swoop, breathed it all back out._

_She wasn’t his. She never would be. She loved V and not him._

~~_Not him._ _It was never him._ ~~

_Turning back around he made his way back to his building, past V who was still in his living room and into his bedroom. Breathe it all out. One day she will no longer be within every breath he took, one day he would be free._

 

* * *

 

But he wasn’t.

Nowhere near.

It had been two years and it felt like she was embedding herself further and further into him. Like some festering tattoo that he never asked for. She was still there, branded onto him for life.

Leaning back into his chair so his toes barely grazed the floor, Jumin stared up to his ceiling. He always believed if he worked hard enough, wanted something more than anyone else- that he would always win in the end. Except it seemed apparent that he was the perennial loser in all things that truly mattered. 

Wiping again at his face forcefully to shake him from his musings he didn’t hear his office door slowly creak open. He almost fell backwards when he heard someone else ask, “What’s so interesting up there Jumin?” 

Balancing himself with both feet on the ground, he looked back at the person standing in front of him, who was still looking up at the ceiling in wonder. His eyes shadowed over the smooth skin of her neck, the soft dips in her shoulders and the gentle curves of her arms. MC would never stop being beautiful to him,  _his or not._

Neatening his tie and re-buttoning his jacket he sat up in his chair as high and as straight as he could. As welcome as MC was to visit him at his company it was rather odd for her to come in after business hours, more so by herself and unannounced. 

“MC, not that I’m not grateful for this impromptu visit but I must ask why are you here? How did you get here? How did you get in?”

MC kept her gaze steadfastly on the ceiling again as she accepted his mini investigation, “I wanted to see you. To see someone happy to see me. I walked here and your light was still on so I assumed either you or Jaehee were here still. Jung Wook let me in.”

“Jung Wook?” he asked trying to recall a face to the name, drawing nothing but blank images to mind. Was he the receptionist?  ~~No, it was way past clocking out time- they’d be gone~~. Maybe another worker who knew her? 

“Your night shift guard who works the ground floor and main entrance. He saw me sitting out on the benches outside waiting for you and told me to come in as you were still up here” 

“You know my staff by name?”

“Well not  _all_  of them but enough of them yes,” she answered, face still pointing skyward. “After all, I’m here most of the time when I’m not at home or planning for the party, it’s only natural that I get to know them.” 

Jumin prided himself on being able to read someone quite well- it was a basic talent he had picked up from watching his associates and business partners over the years. Whether they were uncomfortable, upset or happy… and out of the three MC was not happy. Leaning forward upon his desk on his elbows, his finger-linked hands holding up his head as he truly surveyed the woman in front of him. He still hadn’t seen her face, she still refused to look down. 

“MC,” he chided, “please look at me properly, you’re only hurting your neck.” 

“I’m good how I am Jumin,” she refuted as she perfunctorily raised a thumb up to him. 

“I don’t mean to be rude here MC but I’ve a really important deadline to meet in the next couple of days so there’s a lot of work to be done- I’m afraid I can’t entertain you as you deserve,” he paused waiting to see if she’d finally look at him as he dismissed her, “-so I’m afraid we’ll have to call it a night here and arrange for another time to meet. Besides… isn’t V coming home today? Shouldn’t he be home now?” he asked confused as to why the normally joyous occasion was met with such odd behaviour from her. 

“I don’t want to be home right now,” she whispered so sullenly he could have sworn he was just imagining it. 

“This is daft MC please look at me when you’re talking to me it’s quite unsettling-”

MC followed his instructions and lowered her face to meet him eye to eye- hers reeling in tears, his slowly widening at the sight. The sides of her face and the hair about her ears were drenched from her crying. Jumin was trying to get up from his seat before his knew it but was frozen by MC’s movement to sit down herself. Running her hands in one fluid motion down her skirt over and over again to try to smooth out the imaginary wrinkles keeping her hands busy, she moved the sides of her cheeks roughly against her shoulders to wipe off the remaining tears. 

He may have preferred her looking up at the ceiling after all. That hurt less to watch. 

“MC-” Jumin choked out unsure what to say. He hadn’t been around any crying people except for employees that he had fired personally so it put the Director in quite an uncomfortable position. “I- _uh_ … is there something… that I can…  _what happened_?” he uttered out completely at a loss of what to do as he pushed a box of tissues out towards the silently sobbing woman. 

MC shook her head softly as she moved her hands to sit under her thighs to stop their incessant fidgeting. Biting her lip in a bid to either stop crying or to focus her thoughts, she finally laid her glassy eyes on Jumin’s face. She could tell the boy was quietly petrified as he was only coming to terms with his evolving relationship with his emotions, for her to heap her troubles on him made her inwardly cringe at herself-  _just how selfish was she?_  Shaking her head emphatically she made to rise out of her chair, excusing herself for coming in unannounced when he could have been really busy- 

“MC you will stay seated in that chair- you are not leaving,” he ordered as he himself stood up and walked over to stand in front of her, to lean against the edge of his fine desk. “You will,  _when you are ready_ , tell me what has made you so upset.” 

Having lost any will to fight the stubborn man before her, MC merely followed his demands and reoccupied her seat.  Jumin curved his body over to the right to pour MC a glass of water, extending his right arm to offer it to her. MC just stared into the glass as if he were holding nothing and without a beat uttered, 

“V cheated on me.”

Jumin’s fingers gripped tighter against the fine crystal of the glass before throwing it clear to the left of them, the glass shattering against the wall spraying the walls with its contents. MC’s eyes almost fell out of her skull in shock, her mouth agape in a nervous fear that she couldn’t hide. Forcing her gaze on Jumin, she could see his breathing had become laboured and heavy, and that his right arm was still held rigidly across his body and his eyes held such a look of frenzy she didn’t know what he was thinking.

Jumin took a minute to compose himself. 

He knew he must have looked crazy but he couldn’t seem to release the anger pulsing through his veins. 

He breathed in and then out, licking his lips to control the words that threatened to spill out from them.

“MC- tell me everything.” 

* * *

_MC had wandered the house for the twelfth time that hour insuring the house was perfectly immaculate for V, even though his vision had been restored, he said he found a comfort in having his… their… house the exact way as he left it. Straightening an already perfectly straight cushion to calm her jittery nerves… Why was she nervous? No, she wasn’t nervous- she was excited. Of course. That was it. She was excited. Her fiancé was coming home after one month of being away and she was excited. ~~And nervous.~~_

_Would it be like it always was? Would he come in and hold her so tenderly? Speak such words of love and devotion that it would make angels weep? Make love to her so gently that she could say that loving him was almost a divine experience?_

_And then all the while he’d leave her at arm’s reach, on this perfect pedestal- away from him._

**_Alone._ **

_MC had thought that it would just take time, to break away those walls around him and that he had built to protect himself. That she would have the patience and the strength of conviction to continue on waiting for him until he was finally free from the prison in his heart. It had been two years now and nothing had changed. He got his surgery and could see and work and return to his previous life and nothing had changed. They were finalizing their plans for their wedding next month and nothing had changed._

_He didn’t want her to see him upset. He didn’t want her to see him sad. Angry. Hurt. The only V she was allowed to see was the happy V. But she was selfish, she wanted all of him. He reasoned that when he let Rika see those sides of him that it only furthered her madness, that she would see his pain and use it to fuel her delusions of making a better world, a world where her “Sun” would always be happy. So now he was always happy around MC even when she knew he was anything but. She didn’t know how many times she had to repeat it, “I’m not Rika, you can show me these things and I won’t hurt you or anyone else. You can be who you are and I won’t punish you for it. You can let me love you, V.”_

_The sound of a key turning the front lock interrupted her depressing contemplations as her teal haired fiancé made his way through the threshold. Dropping his bag in the foyer as he took off his signature sunglasses he quickly scanned the house for MC. Collecting herself and pasting a smile on her face she skipped her way over to him and threw herself into his open arms._

_Is this the closest I’ll ever get to him?_

_Feeling his long fingers curl into her hair, she pressed her face deeper into the crook of his neck and took in his scent. The faint traces of smoke from his pipe, hints of the aftershave that he favoured and the leather strap of his camera. Laying soft caresses of his lips against her neck and shoulder and fiercely squeezing his arms around her torso, made MC almost believe that what they shared was ok. That they were going to be ok._

_“I missed you,” he whispered into her ear, putting her down carefully. “I missed you more than I could ever say,” his fingers grazing the outlines of her features. A habit that he never seemed to break even after getting the restorative treatment to his eyes. Taking him at his wrists gently, MC placed breath like kisses against each pad of his fingertips._

_“I missed you more,” she opposed as she sincerely beamed up at her taller lover. She did, she missed him terribly when he was away. Though it didn’t compare to how much she could miss him even when they shared the same bed. Leading him by the hand she took him over to their favourite couch and waited until he sat himself in the corner and kept his body open for her to lie on top of him. Throwing his arms around her, her head against his heartbeat, she willed herself to relax into his touch. His hands roaming down her arms, her waist and over the swell of her hips until they found the cusp of her bottom- his fingers biting down into the flesh of her, earning him a muffled groan of appreciation._

_MC knew what he wanted and was happy to provide him with it. His heart may have been off limits but he always gave his body freely. Following the opposite route to her fiancé, her fingers trailed up and under his shirt, lighting a path against the tight pale skin of his abdomen- all the while placing feather light kisses against his jaw and down his collarbone. As she moved to take off his shirt, V pushed her away so forcefully while making a stifled sound of disapproval that she felt deeply insulted. Did even her touch now repulse him now? How were they supposed to get married like this? How were they supposed to stay together at all?_

_Moving away from him as colour flooded her cheeks, MC patted down her hair and arranged her clothes. Pulling out a cushion from behind her she clutched at it in front of her to put something of a barrier between her and her (almost ~~maybe~~ ) future husband._

_V swung both his legs over the side of the couch and sighed so deeply it sounded like he was releasing ten years from his life. Moving his palms along one another he worried at his bottom lip as he looked to the sky for something to explain his actions. Trying her best to put on a brave face MC smiled and spoke up first,_

_“If you were tired or sore from your trip you could have let me know sooner, I’d have let you sleep or given you a massag- “_

_“I’ve done something terrible MC,” he said, unable to meet her in the eye. His voice wavering and his hands rubbing against themselves firmer than before. “I’ve- “_

_MC blinked a few times before she realised what he was about to say._

_“Don’t say it”_

_“I-I have to! The guilt is too much for me to bear- “_

_“Please,” she begged earnestly, “please don’t say it. D-Don’t say anything.”_

_V wasn’t having any of it, any semblance of mercy or compassion he was once known to hold, was lost upon her._

_“I have to MC! This needs to be said!” he yelled frustrated. At himself. At her. At everything. “I am… I had sex with Ji Yeon. It was only the once- just on this trip a couple of weeks ago-“_

_“Oh just the once?! Is that meant to be better Jihyun? Am I supposed to clap my hands and congratulate you for your iron clad self-control?” she asked disdainfully watching him wince at the use of his given name. Throwing the pillow in her arms aside, “Was it worth it?” she asked, hating herself more as the question left her mouth, “-was she good? Do you want to do it again? Does she want to do it again?”_

_V looked over at her incredulously, as if what she was saying so outlandish. That she was the crazy one. “Of course not. To any of those questions, I know you’re hurting right now MC but those are ridiculous things to ask me, I love- “_

_MC launched herself from the couch and slapped him hard across his face._

_“Don’t you fucking say it! You’re not allowed to say that to me again after what you’ve done! I love you? What a fucking joke Jihyun!” she spat as she stormed clear across the room, creating as much space away from him as she could. Bracing herself against the wall with both arms outstretched in front of her, she let her head hang low. “Why?”_

_MC heard V shuffle around, still on the opposite side of the room, as she closed her eyes to listen to his excuses._

_“I… I guess I was weak. I was drunk and lonely and so was she- I had tried to call you earlier that day-”MC whirled around so rapidly that she thought she must have looked possessed._

_“Don’t you dare blame this on me!” she shrieked her hands shaking with anger, “I don’t pick up the phone once and that gives you clearance to screw anyone you happen to have on hand?”_

_V shook his head miserably, agreeing with everything she was throwing at him, his eyes pools of despair as he watched his fiancé deal with the aftermath of his treachery._

“ _No, no of course not. That’s not it at all,” he attempted to explain but MC wouldn’t let him finish, petrified that whatever he said next would make sense and she would accept it and then she’d be back to planning their wedding as if nothing had happened._

_“Is it because you don’t love me?” she irrevocably questioned. “Is it because you felt obligated to stay with me?” V took one long look at her and marched through the room in only a few strides to hold her against him. He was taken aback in shock when she didn’t even fight him. “Is it because I’m not Rika?” His arms around her both seemed to freeze and tighten around her at the same tim. It was out now. Her truth was free._

_“I never once thought you were Rika, MC. I love you because you’re not like her at all,” he implored for her to understand. “I love you MC.”_

_Wrapping her arms around him as well, her fingers twisting around his thin jacket, she wished him her goodbyes. Any anger she had felt after learning of his deception fell away and suddenly all she felt was… relieved, sad, but relieved. V found the strength to embrace her harder but understood that when she let her arms fall by her side, that there was nothing left to be said._

_Pulling at the front of his jacket to tidy him up, MC nodded once to herself before patting him fondly over his heart. “Love me you may… and love you I do… but I don’t think even love can be enough in our case Jihyun. Let’s just be… thankful… I guess- that this happened before the wedding and not after. We know where we both stand in each other’s lives now, once and for all.”_

_“But I want to stand by you in mine!” he cried out trying to reach her one last time, his grip around her arms almost bruising. “This was a mistake, a massive mistake yes, but MC! We can work through this” he begged her. “Please, love can be enough”_

_MC shook her head sadly from side to side._

_“It wasn’t enough to save Rika and sadly, it’s not enough to save us now,” she knew her words were an arrow to his heart but they had to be said. They had to be said. “Hopefully one day someone will be able to get through to you and then- then your love will be enough.”_

* * *

Jumin had buried his fingers so tightly against the wood of his desk that he had created dents to the underbelly of the wood, causing light splinters to prick against his skin. Paying them no mind, he dropped to his knees before MC and took her hands lightly into his.

“I’m… alright Jumin. I hate that he lied to me, that he betrayed me… but I’m alright. I’m… scarily relieved to be honest” she said laughing mirthlessly to herself, only igniting more confusion in the man kneeling in front of her. “I- hope he finds what he needs,” she prayed as she looked into his grey eyes which narrowed with scepticism.

“I do  _not_  believe you are alright- but I think you believe you’re alright,” he stated as he stroked the back of her palm. “But now is not the time for us to debate over things like this- come,” he beckoned her as he pulled her slowly to stand, “-come to my house where I can take care of you and let you recover from this properly.”

Shrugging off his jacket to cover her shoulders and then curling his arm around her to lead her to his waiting car and driver, he murmured quietly to her, “I’m so sorry he didn’t love you like he should have, like he promised.”

Resting her head against his shoulder as the car moved smoothly through the deserted evening streets, she closed her eyes and finally accepted the truth for herself, “No he didn’t. But he loved me as best as he was able.”

* * *

 

Jumin had his people go to V’s house the next day to rid his house of any trace that MC was ever there, much to both V and MC’s disapproval.

“You’re both my best friends, I just want to see you both move on as quickly and painlessly as possible” he said.

He was only telling half the truth.

_He wanted her away from him._

Even if he couldn’t have her, a man who swore this woman would have the world and then only offered her blurry pictures of the world she’d never see… that kind of cruelty could not be allowed to be endured. He had known V all his life, not once did he ever think he could hate him- except now. 

He increased his security team and showed pictures of V and made sure that if he was ever to come near the property that he should promptly be escorted away. That should he ever come close to MC that he should be expedited away and preferably with a bloody lip. Luckily his old friend understood the message more than well enough upon his first attempt to visit MC at his house. The wall of men and women, between him and her, expressing ever so succinctly that she was not ready to forgive him… and neither was Jumin.

He eventually comprehended how deeply the damage ran, damage he had caused to his friends by his act of weakness… He didn’t try to contact them again. 

 

* * *

_It had been more than four months since V had seen or heard from either of his closest companions, or really anyone from the RFA. Once they were told the circumstances of their split it was understandable that they side with MC and Jumin- he expected it and believed he deserved it. He did the deed; he should be punished for it. Yoosung seemed to despise him even more, believing that he must have cheated on Rika as well and that’s what helped her go over the edge and relentlessly hounded him whenever he could. The youngest member only ceased his abuse when MC intervened and told Yoosung to leave him alone and that she was ok, no need to bring the past up anymore. The Choi twins naturally steered clear from him, Jaehee was MC’s best friend and Zen, well Zen was the only one who took any effort to stay as impartial as he could._

_V heard the front door of his house open and he didn’t need to turn around to know who it was, it wasn’t MC- he could tell by the weight of each step that was taken- so it had to be Jumin. They were the only other people with a key to his house._

_Jumin stood tersely in the middle of the foyer waiting for his friend to welcome him further into his house. V waved him in as casually as he could but furtively took in as much detail as his eyes could muster. His friend stood straight but held no tension in his shoulders as he normally did, the tightness around his mouth had eased and the… he was wearing a different coloured tie. To anyone else these signs were imperceptible, though to someone who knew Jumin inside and out- these changes were massive, and these changes were because of her._

_“What brings you here Jumin? May I offer you a glass of water or tea?” he asked pointing to both on his coffee table. His ebony haired friend simply shook his head in polite refusal and began to walk forward towards him. Taking a seat parallel to him Jumin began to play with his cufflinks out of nervous habit. Some things would never change._

_“I- I came here to define exactly where I stand on all that has happened V,” he paused, flicking his eyes up to see if V would stop him. At V’s silent nod for him to carry on, Jumin cleared his throat and continued. “I think what you have done is unforgivable. You kept her with you for all that time but she was all alone, you never once opened your heart to her. You left her cold and feeling like she was not enough to measure up against Rika. You let me stay on the sidelines, killing myself over the idea of you two, killing myself thinking how much happier you could make her- how much more you must have loved her. I may never forgive you for that… you stole away years of her happiness… years of my sanity… and for what? In the end… for what?”_

_“…Despite what you and MC have concluded, I loved her. HER. I just- didn’t show her well enough. I just didn’t trust myself to be worthy to be loved completely by her… and in so- I lost her. And as for you-” he ran his hand through his light blue hair and watched as the strands of his fringe fell back down, “-for you though, I am sorry. I should have never said I could love her more than you that day. That maybe I should have been the one who stood aside.”_

_Jumin clasped his hands together so tightly that his knuckles turned white._

_“Will you step aside now?” he pleaded more than he asked. “Will you step aside and let me try love her? To let her love me?”_

_V observed his friend, his stormy eyes revealing more than his words ever could. Leaning forward on the edge of his seat, he reached out his arm and clung to Jumin’s shoulder in what he hoped felt like a reassuring grip,  "Lover her more than I ever could, Jumin_ _"._

 

* * *

 

MC was slowly gathering her things and folding them as neatly and compactly as she could, her suitcase on the bed ready to filled. Looking around at the luscious suite that had been her home for almost a year she was bereft to leave it behind. Though leave she must as it was… it wasn’t right for her to stay anymore. Despite Jumin’s denial that she wasn’t getting in the way, that she was wanted- she couldn’t help but think that she was holding him back from being happy. 

He spent every free second he had doting on her or Elizabeth the III- how could he reason that he was happy when he had to look after her like a child? He would order special meals for them to share whenever they got the chance to eat together; which was surprisingly often. He would send her flowers every day with a kind message to brighten up her day, and on particularly heinous days that drained her spirit- he’d organise for something to make her smile ( _once it was making Jaehee take Elizabeth the III whilst Zen came over to his house and re-enacted the entire play of Promiscuous Jalapeno much to MC’s delight_ ). 

Though… if MC were truly being honest with herself… she was leaving because of the way he looked at her. As if she were the Moon and Stars combined, as if when she talked her words dripped diamonds and pearls, as if he could possibly be feeling whatever it was that was starting to form in her chest whenever she’d think of him- hear him- see him. She was leaving because she didn’t want to ruin whatever tentative friendship the two most important men in her life had managed to restore, she didn’t want to be the reason any more walls were built. 

A quick rap at the door had MC dropping the shirt in her hands with surprise. Looking behind her she saw him leaning casually against the doorframe- Jumin Han, C&R Director, Corporate Man of the Year, and the man she was falling in love with. His dark hair shading his even darker eyes, he surveyed the scene playing out in front of him. He didn’t like where it was going. Stepping inside the room he absentmindedly started playing with one of the silk scarves he had purchased for her on a whim while in Dubai, the pale blue pattern of the fabric being a perfect contrast to MC’s skin tone. 

“Going somewhere MC?” he asked, his tone light but his question darker. He didn’t want to hear this answer, the wrong answer just might kill him. “I didn’t realise you had a trip planned.” Tugging lightly at the scarf between his fingers, she quickly refolded it and placed it in her bag.

“You know very well where I’m going Jumin, I’ve decided to move out and unburden you once and for all” she chided as she continued on with her packing. “I’m just going to pick up the key from the real estate agency and- “

“You don’t have to go anywhere MC- “

“Well actually I’ve already paid two months’ deposit so I kind of have to-” she countered huffing away the hair that had fallen in her eyes. 

“I’ll repay you double whatever you spent” he offered as he tucked the offending hair away.

“And I’ve signed the contract-” she said as she locked up the suitcase

“I’ll get my lawyers to break them-” he said as he picked up the suitcase and put it behind him, away from her grasp.

“And-”

“And?” 

_She had nothing._

“I- I uh… “she searched her mind for something,  _anything_  to defend herself against the onslaught of emotions that rushed her whilst she was in Jumin’s presence. “I- we both know nothing can come of this Jumin. It’s best that we stay friends and not ruin anything we already have. If I’ve learnt anything from the whole thing with V-”

Jumin stepped forward, his long elegant finger lightly pressing against her lips, halting her speech; his free hand pushing away the hair blocking him from perfect view of her beautiful face. Pulling her closer by pressing down along her spine to swallow the space between them. He had waited for two years to even indulge in the idea of having her in his arms, he had waited a year for MC to acknowledge him, acknowledge whatever it was that developed so naturally between them- he  _refused_  to lose one more minute to hesitation or anything else if he could help it. 

Bending down slowly, giving her more than ample time to decline his advances- he swept in and seized her mouth with his. It was as if God had crafted her to perfectly fit him, every fine line and angle joined to his like a puzzle. Her mouth tasted more opulent than any meal he’d savoured, her skin the most delicate material he’d ever touched. If she wasn’t made for him and likewise him for her-  _he couldn’t give a damn_. He had her in his arms, under his-  _their-_  roof, he could make her happy- and she could make him feel- he would fight God himself if he tried to take that away from them. 

Breaking away from the kiss, MC had to stop herself from delving right back in or panting into his mouth like a wanton woman. Kissing V had never felt like that- sure there was a temperate ardour but it wasn’t like that- an all-consuming, torrential downpour of passion threatening to swallow her whole if she didn’t keep her feet on the ground. Her mother had warned her once to steer clear of people who made you feel like you were burning as they were the only ones who could truly hurt you- however after feeling the fire for herself she was certain her mother was wrong. She needed to be hurt to realise that the burning could bring her back to life. 

“The one thing I learnt from V… was to make sure you never left my side doubting how I felt about you” Jumin stated, trying to finish her uncompleted sentence.

“So-” she began, unable to concentrate as his thumb drew outlines of her lips, down her chin, her neck and along her collarbone, “You said something about being able to break my lease?”

Jumin smiled as he brought her lips back up to his for a soft peck, a promise,  _his_  promise. 

“I’ll have Assistant Kang arrange everything in the morning.” 

 

* * *

“Goodnight honey, I love you!” she grinned as she threw him butterfly kisses through the screen of her computer. Jumin, in good spirits, decided to humour her by pretending to catch one and place it in his breast pocket to save for later. 

“Goodnight MC, I love you- I’ll see you in a week,” he said trying to hide his amusement at his wife’s childish pout, “-it will be over before you know it.” 

Ending the call MC sat atop their bed and sighed contentedly, she knew it was going to be cold inside her bed once more, but, not once would she would ever feel lonely again; even with her husband sleeping on the other side of the world- for she knew their place was beside each other no matter where they were. She was finally loved more than what someone was just able to afford her; she was loved as she deserved and in turn- could love him back as he deserved.


End file.
